Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) suffer from chronic infections of the lower respiratory tract that can be caused by bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been particularly problematic to eradicate and has been implicated as the major cause of morbidity and mortality in CF patients.
Aerosol delivery of antibiotics directly to the lungs has the potential to increase the local concentration of antibiotic at the site of infection, thereby, enhancing bacterial killing compared with systemic administration. Currently, tobramycin solution for inhalation is the only aerosol antibiotic approved for the management of CF patients with bacteria such as P. aeruginosa. Because of the development of resistance to tobramycin and the limited effect on reducing bacterial density in sputum, there is a need for improved therapies to treat CF patients with pulmonary infections caused by multidrug resistant bacteria, including P. aeruginosa. 